Jan. 7 TV premieres: Killer Women' on ABC, Intelligence' on CBS

By Joanne Ostrow, Digital First Media

Monday, January 6, 2014

Two new hours, two old problems. Here comes a pair of premieres:

Tricia Helfer stars as Molly Parker, a badass Texas Ranger in the new ABC drama “Killer Women.” Expect plenty of action-adventure and a bit of romance in the mix, with a light feminist gloss to make it feel modern.

Josh Holloway stars as intelligence operative Gabriel Vaughn in the new CBS drama “Intelligence.” Expect plenty of action-adventure and a bit of romance in the mix, with a light cyber-gloss to make it feel modern. Also, the hero has a microchip in his head.

Both are broadcast-network shows, just tough enough for prime time but not so edgy, adult or anatomically revealing as cable allows.

And both feel like paint-by-numbers hours, unsatisfying offerings that are difficult to recall an hour after you’ve watched them.

It’s midseason, traditionally a time for experimentation on the networks, away from the rush of September. And some midseason shows do offer promise of something different (“Rake,” starring Greg Kinnear on Fox starting Jan. 23, looks inventive.) But these two drama/action-adventure hours aren’t so creative.

Sure, Helfer is comely as trumpet-playing cowgirl Molly Parker, who has “a special sixth sense for why women kill” that helps her solve crimes; and Holloway is fun to look at as Gabriel Vaughn, who has a special cyber-function that makes him a walking Google app and helps him solve top-secret intelligence matters. Is he man or machine? “Almost Human” is better at that conundrum.

These protagonists may be special, but their dramas aren’t.

The networks are premiering shows that are just different enough to get viewers interested, not so challenging as to make people think; dark enough to feel somewhat substantial, not so dark as to be difficult at bedtime.

With Marg Helgenberger (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) in a supporting role as Gabriel’s boss on “Intelligence,” the CBS effort has a vagely familiar, back-to-the-lab feel.

With Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”) aboard as executive producer of “Killer Women,” the ABC effort has a female-friendly, minority-conscious and visually sexualized sensibility that’s less well trod in network TV.